Undergarment



R. L. BLAIR 3,221,750

UNDERGARMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 7, 1965 Filed Dec. 4, 1963 R. L. BLAIR UNDERGARMENT Dec. 7, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Def).` 4, 1963 United States Patent Oice 3,221,750 Patented Dec. 7, 1965 3,221,750 UNDERGARMENT Ronald L. Blair, 2650 W. Belden Ave., Chicago, Ill. Filed Dec. 4, 1963, Ser. No. 327,891 7 Claims. (Cl. 12S- 540) This invention relates to improvements in undergarments.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide an undergarment, such as a panty or girdle, with controlled areas and released areas, whereby the derriere is rounded instead of being severely attened and is held in a cont-rolled condition, which is important in connection with the wearing of tight slacks. Bagginess in the seat of the garment is eliminated with this construction.

Another object of this invention is to provide an undergarment in which there is an even distribution of control so that the liesh of the wearer is not pushed in any one direction more than in another direction. With this construction the ilesh pushed to the front and to the back will be equalized.

Another object of this invention is to provide an undergarment in which the abdomen portion of the wearer is always kept under a proper controlled condition and in which wrinkles in the front section of the undergarment are eliminated.

Another object of this invention is to provide an undergarment in which the soft flesh at the top of the small of the wearers back is controlled and the area below is released so that when the wearer sits the controlled area holds the flesh in place while the release area gives and wrinkling of the back of the undergarment is eliminated.

Other objects will become apparent as this description progresses.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front view of this invention shown in relation to a panty undergarment.

FIG. 2 is a side view thereof.

FIG. 3 is a rear view thereof.

FIG. 4 is a view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a View of the undergarment laid ilat, showi ing all of the garment sections.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken on lines 6-6 of FIG. 5.

The panty includes a front section generally indicated at 1t), a back section generally indicated at 12 and two side sections generally indicated at 14. The front section has a main or outer panel 16 of elastic material which has a lateral stretch, that is, the stretch is laterally of the vertical. It also has a slight stretch vertically.

An inner panel of much smaller dimensions, designated by the numeral 18, is stitched by suitable stitching 20 to the main or outer panel 16. The inner panel 18 is formed of a stretchable material similar to that of the outer panel 16 but is arranged and positioned so that when sewn to the outer panel 16 the stretch of .the inner panel 18 is at right angles to the stretch of the outer panel. For example, the stretch of the outer panel 16 in relation to the undergarment and to the body of the wearer is lateral, whereas the stretch of the inner panel 18 is vertical. Thus, that area of the front section 16 which is coextensive with the border of the inner panel 18 is a controlled area in that the lateral and vertical stretches are limited by the two panels positioned with the stretch of each at right angles to the other.

More specifically, the inner panel 18 is shaped or cut to provide opposite outwardly slanting side top portions 22 which continue to form opposite vertical side sections 24 and then the opposite sides curve inwardly as at 26 towards the crotch 28. Between the lower ends of the slanting sides 22 and the top of the sides 24 there is a cutout on each side generally indicated at 30 which is substantially of V-shape and which extends inwardly and downwardly at an angle to define with said outer panel an uncontrolled or released area, designated by the numeral 31.

The stitching 29 follows the border lines of the inner panel 18 and said stitching extends diagonally inward as at 27 from the point of the V-shaped cutout 30. A central vertical line of stitching 33 also joins the two panels. The combination of the two panels 16 and 18 in the front section results in a controlled area designated by the numeral 32 and the two oppositely positioned released areas 31.

The controlled area 32 extends over the abdomen portion of the wearer and the stretch of said controlled area is lateral, as indicated by the arrows 34. In the wing sections area below the cutout 30 the stretch would be laterally and angularly upward, as indicated by the arrows 36. Adjacent the crotch there is a lateral stretch, indicated hy the arrow 38.

The rear section 12 is formed of a main or outer panel 40 and a smaller dimensioned inner panel 42. The outer panel is of an elastic material like that of panel 16 and has a stretch identical to that of panel 16, that is, a lateral stretch. The inner panel 42 is also of elastic material and is arranged and positioned so that when sewn to the outer panel along the border line of stitching 44 the stretch of the inner panel 42 is at right angles to the stretch of the outer panel.

The inner panel 42 is shaped to form a pair o-f downwardly sloping wing sections 46 of generally rectangular shape, connected to a body portion 48 having downwardly and outwardly inclined sides 50 which continue inwardly to form bottom sides 52 and then continue upwardly and inwardly as at 54 to the crotch.

Between the wings 46 and the body 48, on each side, there is an open area or recess which is of a generally inverted V-shape and they are designated by the numeral 56. This area of the section is the released larea and is designated as 58, whereas the area coextensive with the inner panel 42 and designated by the numeral 60 is the controlled area formed as a result of the combination of the two panels. The controlled area 60 extends over the derriere of the wearer and the stretch is as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 5. The central area of wings 46 has a vertical stretch indicated by the arrows 62, while the area outwardly thereof has an oblique or diagonal stretch as indicated by the arrows 64. Also connecting the inner and outer panels is a vertical line of stitching 57 and diagonal lines of stitching 59 and 61.

The stretch in the body 48 is oblique or diagonal as indicated by the arrows 66 and centrally thereof there is a lateral stretch 68 and below there is an oblique or diagonal stretch as indicated at 69. In the opposite released areas 58 the stretch is vertical, as indicated by the arrows 70, with the area exteriorly thereof having an oblique or diagonal stretch, as indicated by the arrows 71.

The sides 14 of the .garment may be formed by continuing the front and back sections 10 and 12 and overlapping the adjacent ends of each of said sections so that the sides each comprise two panel sections joined together. For example, the front section 1.0 has its opposite end portions 10a and 10b arranged in overlapping relation to the opposite end por-tions 12a and 12b. Thus, the end or panel 10a is overlapped by the end or panel 12a and the end or panel 10b is overlapped by the end or panel 12b. The overlapping is arranged so that the Ilines of stretch of one end panel cross the lines of stretch of the other end panel. For example, the lines of stretch lof the end portion or panel 10a cross the lines of stretch o'f the contiguously positioned end portion or panel 12a. This is also true of the opposite end portions 12a and 12b. The end portions `are joined together by lines of stitching 74 and 75. By virtue of the -overlap and crisscross stretch arrangement the sides 114 each have oblique or diagonal stretches, indicated by the arrows 76 and 77. A band 78 encircles the top of the undergarment and is stitched thereto by a line of stitching 86. The band has a lateral stretch.

By providing the crisscross panels on each side to form the sides 14 as described, an even distribution of control is provided, that is, the flesh of the wearer is not pushed in any one direction more than in the other and there is an even distribution of controlled flesh around the body.

By providing the rear section with a controlled area and a released area, as described, and the stretchings as indicated by the arrows in the rear section of FIG. 5, the derriere instead of being severely flat-tened is rounded but controlled, which permits the wearing of tight fitting slacks. Also, this garment controls the area of the small of the wearers back which has a supply of loose flesh. The area immediately below is released so that when the wearer sits down the release area gives and the controlled area holds the flesh in place. Also, wrinkling is eliminated. In all instances the release area has a greater stretch than the controlled area.

The front of the undergarment is controlled to a lesser extent than the rear. In the front the release area gives as the wearer sits down, while the area above and below the release area is controlled. This will keep the wearers abdomen in place at all times and wrinkles will be eliminated. In standard garments when the wearer sits down the garment has a tendency to break at the waist or abdomen line and the abdomen flesh either rises to the top or moves to the bottom, depending upon whether the flesh is fluid or hard. When the wearer stands up the Ifront of the garment will wrinkle and will pull down, which is very uncomfortable. These objectionable features are all eliminated with this invention.

It will be understood that various changes and modifications may be made from the foregoing without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An undergarment comprising, a front section and a rear section joined by opposite side sections adapted to encircle the body of the wearer around the waist and downwardly below the hips, with said front section extending over the abdomen and said rear section extending over the hips of the wearer, said rear section having controlled and released areas, said rear section formed of a main outer panel and an inner panel, said inner panel being joined to said main outer panel and extending substantially from the top of the hips of the wearer to substantially the crotch of the wearer, said inner panel having an upper portion formed of oppositely extending winglike members and a depending lower body portion, each said wing-like member having a rear edge, said depending lower body portion having side edges, said inner panel having a cutout between the rear edge of each of the winglike members and the adjacent side edges of the depending lower body portion, the area bounded by the configuration of said inner panel forming the controlled area of the rear section and the area within the cutouts forming the released areas.

2. A structure defined in claim 1 in which the oppositely extending wing-like members incline downwardly and in which the side edges of the depending lower body portion incline outwardly from the wing-like members.

3. A structure delined in claim 1 in which the inner panel has the ends of the wing-like members spaced from the adjacent opposite side sections and the adjacent side edges of the depending lower body portion spaced from the adjacent opposite side sections.

4. A structure defined in claim 1 in which the stretch of the inner panel is substantially at right angles to the stretch of the outer panel.

5. A structure defined in claim 1 in which the controlled area has a restricted lateral and vertical stretch and the released area a stretch corresponding to the stretch of the outer panel.

i6. A structure defined in claim 1 in which the side sections are formed of a pair of panels joined together in which the stretch of one panel is diagonal to the stretch of the other panel.

7. A structure dened in claim 1 in which the front `section is formed of a main outer panel and an inner panel, said inner panel extending continuously from the waist to substantially the crotch of the wearer, said inner panel having a substantially V-shaped cutout along each of its opposite sides substantially intermediate the length of the panel, said inner panel being joined to said outer panel, the area bounded by the configuration of said inner panel forming the controlled area of the front section and the area within the V-shaped cutouts forming the released areas.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,603,787 7/ 1952 Leventhal 128-540 2,989,054 `6/ 1961 Grishman 128--546 3,012,556 1-2/1961 Grishman 128-524 3,044,471 7/'1962 Morehouse 12S-548 3,121,428 2/1964 Laguzzi 128-548 3,133,541 5/1964 Lewis et al. 12S- 540 ADELE M. EAGER, Primary Examiner, 

1. AN UNDERGARMENT COMPRISING, A FRONT SECTION AND A REAR SECTION JOINED BY OPPOSITE SIDE SECTIONS ADAPTED TO ENCIRCLE THE BODY OF THE WEARE AROUND THE WAIST AND DOWNWARDLY BELOW THE HIPS, WITH SAID FRONT SECTION EXTENDING OVER THE ABDOMEN AND SAID REAR SECTION EXTENDING OVER THE HIPS OF THE WEARER, SAID REAR SECTION HAVING CONTROLLED AND RELEASED AREAS, SAID REAR SECTION FORMED OF A MAIN OUTER PANEL AND AN INNER PANEL, SAID INNER PANEL BEING JOINED TO SAID MAIN OUTER PANEL AND EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY FROM THE TOP OF THE HIPS OF THE WEARER TO SUBSTANTIALLY THE CROTCH OF THE WEARER, SAID INNER PANEL HAVING AN UPPER PORTION FORMED OF OPPOSITELY EXTENDING WINGLIKE MEMBERS AND A DEPENDING LOWER BODY PORTION, EACH SAID WIND-LIKE MEMBER HAVING A REAR EDGE, SAID DEPENDING LOWER BODY PORTION HAVING SIDE EDGES, SAID INNER PANEL HAVING A CUTOUT BETWEEN THE REAR EDGE OF EACH OF THE WINGLIKE MEMBERS AND THE ADJACENT SIDE EDGES OF THE DEPENDING LOWER BODY PORTION, THE AREA BONDED BY THE CONFIGURATION OF SAID INNER PANEL FORMING THE CONTROLLED AREA OF THE REAR SECTION AND THE AREA WITHIN THE CUTOUTS FORMING THE RELEASED AREAS. 